Journal of a mature, non-Olympic woman in the process of converting to cycling as a method of daily transportation. Dealing with weather and assorted perils; exploring equipment, psychological fortitude, and diet; experiencing our surroundings on a smaller, closer scale; saving gas & boycotting the car industry.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Turning Point

I am no longer the whining, sniveling, personification of dampness I once was --- that I have been since I began this biking project. Last Saturday, after countless months of misery, I bought rain gear.

For my helmet: a rain dome -- a sort of rubberized cover made for specifically for this helmet, that snaps on snugly, leaving room for the rear light bracket so blinkie can keep doing its job. What ecstacy! I had no idea how gravely I was being affected by the continual invasion of cold, oversized rain globules bulleting into the air holes above my head. And the cover breathes! so that am spared the serious overheating problem caused by any hat I’ve ever tried to wear under my helmet.

Also for my helmet: Ear covers. Sound like the fashion faux-pax of the century? Not to worry. You won’t even know they’re there, the way they’re fitted right in between the helmet straps. Expensive little numbers, but worth it. Finally an alternative to cramming a fleece headband under my helmet, which, even without covering the top of my head, was too darn hot! Ear protection is essential, since even the most temperate of breezes whizzing past my head is enough to bring back the dreaded ear-aches of my youth.

For my hands: Gloves at last! Away with my clumsy and unwarm sale-table gardening gloves! These gloves are made for biking -- biking in winter, which means that they have full fingers. Though they are not super-warm for the first few blocks, the good news is that they don’t get too hot, forcing me to pull them off suddenly in a feverish panic in the middle of traffic nad throw them at oncoming cars. Not only that, the material on the palms has such good traction that that I can relax my usual white-knuckle grip on the handlebar shifters.

For my legs: The rain pants I’ve had for several months and they are the reason I’ve made it this far into the winter, as compared to my November quitting time of last year. They are completely breathable (do not inhale in their vicinity!) and at the same time completely waterproof. Neither the moisture from the sky nor the rain from my own body can stop me now. Incredible, and indispensable. Brand: REI. Cost: about $70.

The net result of all this protection is that I now feel ensconced inside an impenetrable cocoon as I flail through the tidal-wave combination of water and traffic --except for my feet. I still haven’t solved the shoe problem. Will post on that later, as I explore solutions.

About Me

"She's no spring chicken," my mother would disclose mercilessly about women in their thirties trying to impersonate youth. Now, I'm even past the no-spring-chicken age. So don't think you have to be 12 to start riding a bike everywhere. I'm working out all the pesky details for you in case you want to do this yourself. But even if you never do it, you'll still know what it's like because I'm going to shrink you down to the size of a little rubber elf and glue you onto my handlebars. No changing your mind, no matter how much you beg me. So don't even start this unless you're sure you have the guts.
PS: My other bike is a broom.